Plain-English definitions of the terms we use across physiotherapy, sports rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, Reformer Pilates, shockwave therapy, and sports nutrition — so you know what to expect from each session and which approach fits your situation.
Also known as: Physical Therapy, PT.
A clinical profession (HCPC-regulated in the UK) that assesses, diagnoses, and treats musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and cardiorespiratory conditions through movement, manual therapy, and education. UK physiotherapists must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council to use the protected title and practise.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Sports Rehab, Sports Rehabilitation.
Physiotherapy focused on assessing, treating, and preventing sport- and exercise-related injuries, and on returning people to training and competition safely. It combines accurate diagnosis, graded loading, and a criteria-based return-to-play plan rather than a fixed timeline.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Hands-on assessment and treatment of joints and soft tissue — including mobilisation and soft-tissue release. Used to reduce pain, restore range of motion, and create a window for active rehabilitation. Most effective when combined with exercise rather than delivered alone.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Therapeutic Exercise, Rehab.
A graded, progressive programme of strengthening, mobility, and movement-control exercises tailored to your stage of recovery. Therapeutic exercise is the most strongly evidenced treatment for most musculoskeletal conditions, and is central to NICE guidance for low back pain.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
Also known as: S&C, Strength Training.
The structured use of resistance training and physical-preparation methods to build strength, power, and resilience for sport and everyday life. As a performance and rehabilitation tool it progresses load systematically and complements, rather than replaces, clinical physiotherapy where an injury is involved.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Initial Assessment.
The structured first appointment in which a physiotherapist takes your history, examines movement, strength, and the affected area, and arrives at a working clinical diagnosis and treatment plan you understand before treatment begins.
Also known as: Return-to-Sport, RTS.
A structured set of clinical and performance criteria used to clear someone to return to training and competition after injury — typically pain status, range-of-motion equivalence, limb-strength symmetry (often ≥90%), sport-specific drills, and confidence. Criteria-based clearance reduces re-injury risk compared with returning on a fixed timeline.
Source: bjsm.bmj.com
Also known as: Clinical Pilates.
Pilates performed on a Reformer — a sprung carriage that adds adjustable resistance and support. Used for core strength, control, and mobility, it bridges rehabilitation and ongoing conditioning and can help manage recurrent back and neck pain as an exercise-based approach.
Source: www.csp.org.uk
Also known as: Soft Tissue Therapy.
Hands-on treatment of muscles and soft tissue to ease pain and tension and support recovery. It is used as an adjunct that complements rehabilitation and training rather than a stand-alone cure, and is not a statutorily regulated profession in the UK.
Also known as: Trigger-Point Needling, IMS.
Insertion of a fine needle into a myofascial trigger point or tight muscle band to reduce tension and ease pain. Distinct from traditional acupuncture, it targets musculoskeletal pain by mechanism and is used as an adjunct within a wider physiotherapy plan, not as a first-line treatment for back pain.
Also known as: ESWT, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy delivers acoustic pressure waves through the skin to stimulate repair in stubborn tendons. NICE interventional procedures guidance supports its careful use as an adjunct for recalcitrant tendinopathies that have not settled with loading rehabilitation; the evidence is mixed and it is not a cure on its own.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
Also known as: Force-Plate Testing, VALD Testing.
Objective measurement of strength, force, and movement asymmetry using equipment such as force plates and dynamometry (VALD ForceDecks, ForceFrame, NordBord). The data quantifies readiness, tracks rehabilitation progress, and informs training — it is an assessment that guides care, not a treatment.
Also known as: Running Assessment.
A structured assessment of how you walk or run — observing cadence, foot strike, and movement patterns — to identify mechanical factors that may contribute to overuse injury. Findings inform a targeted strength and rehabilitation plan rather than a one-size-fits-all prescription.
Also known as: Lumbar Pain, LBP.
Pain in the lumbar spine region. NICE classifies most cases as "non-specific" — no single anatomical cause can be identified. First-line UK guidance (NG59) recommends exercise, manual therapy, and education over imaging, opioids, or rest; most episodes settle within several weeks with appropriate management.
Source: www.nice.org.uk
Also known as: Lumbar Radiculopathy.
Pain, tingling, or numbness radiating from the lower back down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually caused by irritation or compression of a lumbar nerve root. Most cases improve with movement, exercise, and time; NICE advises against routine imaging and prolonged rest.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Tendinitis, Tendinosis.
A tendon injury caused by overload — the term replaces the older "tendinitis" because chronic tendon problems show little inflammation. Achilles, patellar, gluteal, and rotator-cuff tendinopathies are most common. Rehabilitation centres on progressive loading; manual therapy and adjuncts support it but do not resolve it.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Runner’s Knee, Anterior Knee Pain.
Pain around or behind the kneecap, common in runners and active people — often called "runner’s knee". It is usually load-related and responds to a progressive strengthening programme for the hip and thigh rather than rest alone.
Source: www.nhs.uk
The group of four muscles and their tendons that stabilise the shoulder and control its movement. Rotator-cuff-related shoulder pain is one of the most common causes of shoulder problems and usually responds to a progressive, physiotherapy-led exercise programme.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Also known as: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport — a syndrome in which insufficient energy intake for training demands impairs health and performance, affecting bone, hormones, and recovery. It is managed through nutrition and load adjustment, and is a recognised concern in endurance and aesthetic sports.
Source: bjsm.bmj.com
Also known as: Sports Dietetics.
Evidence-based nutritional guidance to support recovery, performance, and long-term health, provided within the scope of dietetic and nutrition practice. In the UK the title "dietitian" is HCPC-protected; sports dietitians combine clinical training with sport-specific knowledge.
Also known as: Health and Care Professions Council.
Health and Care Professions Council — the UK statutory regulator for physiotherapy, dietetics, and 13 other health professions. Every UK physiotherapist and dietitian must be HCPC-registered to use the protected title and practise; the public register lets anyone verify a practitioner.
Source: www.hcpc-uk.org
Also known as: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy — the UK professional body and trade union for physiotherapists. CSP membership signals chartered status and adherence to professional and evidence-based practice standards alongside HCPC registration.
Source: www.csp.org.uk